I would like to share my first experience at NCC as a new staff member. My first assignment was working on the Guttural Toad project which was interesting as it involved working during the night while all of the NCC staff were hopefully enjoying a good night’s rest.

The Cape Peninsula, positioned within the Cape Floristic Region, is recognised as an area of significant biological importance and hosts a National Park classified as one of the 34 global hotspots and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Conversely the immense natural diversity hosted within the Cape Peninsula is placed under serious pressure and threat through urban and agricultural developments. In order to effectively conserve what remains, we need to know ‘what’ is still present and ‘where’ it occurs on the peninsula.

In September 2012, through NCC, I was fortunate enough to go to Gough Island on a 40 day Expedition sailing with the SA Agulhas II during September 2012. Gough Island (40210S, 009530W) is a nature reserve and part of a natural World Heritage Site. It lies in the mid-South Atlantic Ocean some 3000km west–south-west of South Africa and 380km south–south-east of Tristan da Cunha.